Pages

Donate Now!

Friday, March 22, 2013

No death for you today

Large went out to do his morning rounds and found a lamb laying close to death. She is three days old, and we are unsure what happened.

He scooped her up, bundling her under his flannel and brought her into me. Such a compassionate boy for a meat eater. He was on top of pulling out bottles and nipples, getting the formula set out. As I sat with her in my lap warming her. She wouldn't fight.

Young critters sometimes resist you in a way that is very, scarily, similar to death throes. As she started to warm, her body would tense, and her neck would stretch, her head touching her spine. Her eyes were hazy, as her face twitched. So close to death.

I used a syringe to force feed her some warm formula. Our sheep have never been milked, so I keep supplements for all my critters around. She did swallow. That was a great sign, and my heart ached a bit less.

It took hours to get her to stop shivering. But when she did, she stood and peed. But immediately laid back down. This time though, she wasn't on her side. She got all four legs curled up under her. My heart ached a bit less.

She still wouldn't suckle, so I forced fed her some more. The twitchy abated, and she watched us with suspicious glances. Finally she stood again, I set her on the floor, because it is easier for me to deal with critters on my couch; I am the reason we can't have nice things. She had a sticky bowel movement and peed. Then she boldly walked up to the dogs, checking them out. My heart leaped for joy as she leapt in a spook away from me. I placed her back up on the couch, on the blanket I had warmed her with. She took a moment to smell and taste it, then curled up. She looked up at me, her eyes finally cleared. I covered her up, and she fell fast asleep. She is behaving spoiled already.

I am the reason we can't have nice things. Some notions are very relative. Nice to whom?

As for being spoiled? I go back and forth on that, but I have to think that some of it is necessary. Being spoiled means being able to take some things for granted... things perhaps we shouldn't but it pleases me that some can, and do, get that opportunity. That's... all I'm saying there.

My tongue was planted firmly in cheek when I was talking about the couch. Ha! And she is taking full advantage on us humans. Curled up and slept on Husband's chest last night. I don't blame her one bit.

guests

Search This Blog

About Me

I am a death metal homesteader. Or so I jokingly refer to myself.
I have been cooking since I could reach the stove, homesteading on 5 acres in Kansas for 11 years and on the back of a bike for the last 15 years.
Recently we left the Great Plains to start a new life in the Appalachian foothills. Living completely off grid.
I freelance write for a variety of ezines and paper rags. The topics I like to cover are rather eclectic, as is my life.